General

What is INSTADEBIT?

INSTADEBIT is a secure online payment option that lets you make payments to merchants directly from your bank account.

How does INSTADEBIT work?

INSTADEBIT enables you to make payments to merchants using funds from your bank account. You simply select the INSTADEBIT option on a merchant’s cashier page, log in to your INSTADEBIT account, and approve the transaction. If you don’t have an INSTADEBIT account, you will be able to create one and register your bank account easily during your first transaction.

Can I use INSTADEBIT? What is needed to use INSTADEBIT?

INSTADEBIT is available to Canadian residents with a bank account at a Canadian financial institution. To use the service, you must be at least 18 years old and will need to provide your date of birth and the last 4 digits of your Social Insurance Number (SIN) in order to confirm your identity and protect your payments.

Do I need an INSTADEBIT account?

You will need an INSTADEBIT account in order to make a purchase on a merchant site, however you do not need to pre-register for an account. You can create your INSTADEBIT account during your first transaction and use it immediately.

Account Creation & Management

How do I get an INSTADEBIT account?

You can sign up for INSTADEBIT as part of your first transaction, or if you’d prefer to pre-register, click the Sign Up button at the top of this page.

What information do I need to provide to create an INSTADEBIT account?

To create an INSTADEBIT account, you will need to provide your basic personal information (name, address, email address) as well as your date of birth, the last 4 digits of your SIN, and your bank account information.

Why do I have to provide my date of birth?

Your date of birth is used to verify your identity, as well as prevent the use of INSTADEBIT by persons under the age of 18.

Why do I have to provide part of my SIN?

We ask for the last 4 digits of your SIN in order to verify your identity and protect you and your payments. INSTADEBIT will NEVER request your full SIN.

What bank account information do I need to provide to create an INSTADEBIT account?

You need to provide your bank transit number (5 digits), financial institution number (3 digits) and account number (up to 12 digits), which can all be found at the bottom of your personal cheques, or you can contact your bank to request this information.

There is a deposit from INSTADEBIT on my bank statement. What is this?

When you create an INSTADEBIT account, we make a small deposit into your bank account. The deposit will be less than $2.00 and will appear in your bank account within 3-5 business days. You need to know the deposit amount in order to verify your bank account to increase your spending limit. (see Bank Verification FAQs)

How do I increase my spending limit?

You are given a temporary transaction limit immediately after creating an account, and once you verify your bank account, you will receive a higher spending limit.

Why was my registration declined?

If you had trouble creating an INSTADEBIT account, it means that we were unable to fully verify your identity and require you to contact Customer Service to resolve the issue. Please keep in mind that our anti-fraud system is designed to protect you and your payments.

How do I review the transactions I’ve made through INSTADEBIT?

You can view your INSTADEBIT transaction history by logging in to your account at the top of this page.

How do I change my account information? (email address, password, home address, etc.)

You can change your email address or password by logging in to your INSTADEBIT account at the top of this page.

To change your name, home address, or bank account information, please contact security@instadebit.com. You will be required to provide one or more of the following pieces of documentation:

Driver’s License, Passport, or other government-issued photo ID

A utility bill or other proof of address

A void cheque (not a temporary or counter cheque)

How do I close my INSTADEBIT account?

Please contact security@instadebit.com to close your account.

Payments with INSTADEBIT

What are the fees for using INSTADEBIT?

There is no charge to create an INSTADEBIT account, and a $1.95 CAD charge to make a payment to a merchant from your bank account. There is no charge to make payments from your INSTADEBIT Balance Account, however.

If a merchant issues you a refund, there is NO charge to transfer these funds to your INSTADEBIT Balance Account. There is a $2.00 CAD charge to withdraw funds from your Balance Account to your bank account.

Please note that you may be charged a fee by your bank for NSF transactions.

Can I pay for purchases from two different bank accounts?

You are only permitted to register one bank account with INSTADEBIT, and are not able to split payments between different accounts.

How will payments I make using INSTADEBIT appear on my bank statement?

All payments made using INSTADEBIT will appear on your bank statement as either INSTADEBIT.com or 1-877-88DEBIT.

When will the funds come out of my bank account?

Funds will be removed from your bank account 0-2 business days after approving your transaction.

What do I do if the merchant doesn’t deliver the goods or services I purchase using INSTADEBIT?

Please contact the merchant directly to resolve the issue.

INSTADEBIT Balance Account

What happens when I receive funds from a merchant?

Funds credited to you by a merchant will automatically be deposited into your INSTADEBIT Balance Account. You can use those funds to make payments to merchants or withdraw them to your bank account.

How do I use funds in my Balance Account to pay for purchases?

The funds in your INSTADEBIT Balance Account will automatically be used to make payments to merchants provided there is enough to cover the entire amount of the transaction and that the balance is in the same currency.

How do I withdraw funds from my Balance Account to my bank account?

To withdraw funds, log in to your INSTADEBIT account at the top of this page. Your account balance will be shown on the profile page, and you can enter the amount you wish to withdraw. (see Bank Verification FAQs)

How long will it take for the funds I withdraw from my Balance Account to be available in my bank account?

It takes approximately 3-5 business days for the funds to clear through the banking network and appear in your bank account.

Currencies & Foreign Exchange

What currencies does INSTADEBIT support?

INSTADEBIT currently supports U.S. and Canadian dollars.

Can Canadian customers make payments in U.S. dollars?

INSTADEBIT allows you to make payments in U.S. and Canadian dollars.

If I do a U.S. dollar transaction, how will I know what the Canadian total is?

The converted amount is shown on the transaction receipt page when you complete your transaction. You can also see the currency conversion for every transaction you make by logging in to your INSTADEBIT account and viewing your transaction history.

What exchange rate is used for a deposit/payment?

Currency conversions for deposits/payments are made at the day's exchange rates and include a fee to compensate for the currency risk involved in the provision of the service.

What exchange rate is used when making a withdrawal from my Balance Account to my Canadian bank account?

Currency conversions for withdrawals are made at the day's exchange rates and include a fee to compensate for the currency risk involved in the provision of the service.

What if I receive a refund from a merchant in U.S. dollars?

The refunds will be credited to your INSTADEBIT Balance Account in USD, and this balance can be used to make payments to merchants in USD. If you withdraw the funds to your Canadian bank account, the USD will be converted to CAD when the deposit is made to your bank.

If I am a U.S. customer, can I make payments in Canadian dollars?

No. Currently INSTADEBIT is only available to Canadian customers.

Bank Verification

Why should I verify my bank account?

You are given a temporary spending limit until you verify your bank account. You are able to make payments to merchants up to that limit immediately after creating an account, and once you verify your bank account, you will receive a higher spending limit.

How do I verify my bank account?

When you create an INSTADEBIT account, either from the website or during a transaction, a small deposit is made in your bank account. This amount will appear on your bank statement 3-5 business days after your account is created.

Once you know the amount that was deposited, log in to your INSTADEBIT account at the top of this page and click on the "Verify Bank Account" link.

How do I find the amount that INSTADEBIT deposited into my bank account?

You can find the amount deposited into your account by checking your bank statement, your online banking statement, or by calling your bank.

I can’t find a deposit from INSTADEBIT on my bank statement. How do I verify my account?

If you do not see the deposited amount after 7 business days, please log in to your INSTADEBIT account and confirm that your bank information is correct. If it is correct, please contact security@instadebit.com about this issue.

I entered the deposit amount incorrectly and now my INSTADEBIT account is blocked. What should I do?

As a security measure, INSTADEBIT suspends your account if the deposit amounts are entered incorrectly. Please contact security@instadebit.com to resolve this issue.